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Wednesday, 18 May 2016

Sadly I've not been fortunate enough to have had a lovely beach holiday for a number of years now, so when Lilly & Lime asked me to review a bikini of theirs I agreed with a heavy heart. Poor me, I know!

Lilly & Lime are an Australian specialist D cup and up swimwear brand, launched in January 2016 and based upon an idea the two busty founders Emma and Ashleigh had during a champagne fuelled night out!

I'm a huge fan of nautical stripes so naturally I opted for the Blue & White striped full cup bikini top in my current size of 28H and Blue & White striped hipster tie bottoms in a size 14. I really wanted to try the balconette shape as I feel it would work better on me, but the striped bikini wasn't available in my size. Emma from Lilly & Lime was most helpful when it came to fit advice and suggested their sizes are similar to those of Curvy Kate and Panache, which I found particularly useful to know when shopping newly discovered brands.

The full cup bikini top has fully adjustable straps (a godsend!) and the band size is fixed, fastening with a white plastic clip at the back. The cups have non-removable pads and it is made from a double layered stretch swimwear fabric. I must admit I was slightly underwhelmed with this bikini top. Although it offers support and a good size range, I'd ideally like something a bit more...wow! Admittedly this is probably due to my choice of the full cup and my 34 year old boobs (that have seen better days!), so I am just speaking for myself here. One thing I would LOVE to have seen is a narrower gore. I just think it's a touch too wide for my liking and tends to flatten my boobs a little. If these are things that bother you, the balconette shape does seem to have a bit more of a wow factor and I kind of wish I'd made my decision based on shape rather than pattern so you might want to bear this in mind when shopping with Lilly & Lime.

As for fit, it seems pretty darn good on first impressions, maybe a tiny bit small in the cup but not enough to warrant going up a cup. The band is nice and snug and I'd suggest going up a band size if you're on the upper end of your usual band measurement. My underbust measures 27" so the 28" is perfect on me.

Yes, I have cellulite, I'm a human.

The tie side bottoms are lovely! I LOVE tie sides, mainly because they give you the option of loosening them off if you're feeling a bit bloated and you don't need to worry about the sizing too much either. Again they're made from a double layer stretch swimwear fabric and the fit is spot on!

I originally wanted the plain satin version but it was out of stock in my size (22" for Corset Story corsets, usually 20" elsewhere) so I chose the black brocade overbust with hip panels (£69 at the time of publishing) instead. I'd intended to use it as a base for my Columbia costume when I see The Rocky Horror Show in May, but on arrival I realised it was too pretty for that, so I might have to rethink my plans!

As always, Corset Story provide a swing tag with a bit of blurb on their corset construction along with a sample of their spiral steel boning, which I think is a nice touch. The outer fabric is a decadent black brocade which doesn't photograph especially well but in person is divine!

With my awkward measurements I was concerned about the corset not fitting well enough in the bust but for a relatively inexpensive off the rack (OTR) I'm happy to report its pretty damn good! Its not bang on as you'd expect but it's close enough! .The hip panels, as I found with the underbust last year, help make this corset an excellent fit on me and give a nice gentle curve whilst still being shaped enough to give that Jessica Rabbit style nipped in waist I'm always looking for in corsets.

Since I'm short in the torso this corset is a touch on the longer side for me, but that's not to say it won't work on you. The modesty panel is a pesky little thing to straighten when you're lacing alone, so bear that in mind when you're thinking "WTF?" while looking at my pics! It laces up quite easily and the cords slide smoothly, but also have a bit of 'bite', meaning they don't slip much when you're lacing, which as some of you corset wearers may know, is a huge bonus, particularly when lacing alone.

Before this next picture I'll mention that yes, I'm aware that corsets should be laced evenly, meaning the back should be parallel but I have shoulder problems and was struggling to fully lace up on my own! Also, since I wouldn't be wearing an overbust for waist training I don't feel this is as important as it would be for an underbust.

This corset is well constructed and I'm surprised to find something OTR that fits so well. Given their low price point I'd recommend Corset Story to anyone wanting to dip their toes into the decadent pond of corsetry. Avoid cheap cylindrical corsets on eBay and start here! Keep your eyes peeled for offers over at Corset Story as they often have good deals and sales on!